CHIEF PROSECUTOR MEETS WITH HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) IN BIH

The central topics at the meeting related to the situation regarding illegal migration to BiH and the prosecution of cases for criminal offences of trafficking in human beings and illegal migration.

The Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, Gordana Tadić, met with the newly appointed Head of International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Coordinator for the Western Balkans, Laura Lungarotti.

The meeting discussed the issues of illegal migration and the stay of migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the work of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and partner police, security and law enforcement agencies in detecting and prosecuting crimes related to illegal migration, primarily trafficking in human beings and smuggling of persons.

The Chief Prosecutor informed the Head of IOM Mission that in the period from 2015 to 2020, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH had filed indictments in 144 cases against 240 persons for criminal offences in this area.

She also pointed out that the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is at the head of the Task Force for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration, which includes representatives of police, judicial and security agencies from the respective levels of the State, both Entities and the Brčko District of BiH, as well as representatives of the Network of Prosecutors and Investigators for combating trafficking in human beings, in order to act as effectively as possible in this area.

The Head of IOM in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced a number of activities, including meetings with all heads of key institutions dealing with issues in this area, as well as the upcoming training in Banja Luka, in cooperation with the USAID, in the field of combating trafficking in human beings.

It was noted at the meeting that the cooperation of IOM and other international organisations with BiH institutions is crucial for more efficient operation in prosecuting perpetrators of smuggling of persons and human trafficking, and especially in recognising the forms of trafficking in human beings from within the migrant population.

It was agreed to continue cooperation in the future.